Vacation
by kahlshira
Summary: Booth and Brennan must find their groove again. Brennan sees the value of vacations. Set after season 3 finale.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is just a fluff one-shot, possibly more, just to get my brain moving from such a boring day at work.

Disclaimer: Fox owns the characters. I just like them.

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Outside, rain pounded on the building of the Medico-Lab of the Jeffersonian. Inside, somber technicians and scientists continued their work. Dr. Temperance Brennan sat at her computer completing the final review of the last intern available to possibly add to the Jeffersonian's team. The prospects had her wishing for a dig in some other country where the weather was dry and warm and your greatest fear was the locals with machine guns.

The rest of the team was on a much needed vacation from the last few weeks of misery. Brennan felt it illogical to replace productive research and book writing with endless days of sitting by the pool with Angela and Hodgins or camping like Booth was with Parker that weekend. Besides, she needed to fill the position now vacant at the Jeffersonian.

Once, when Zack had left for Iraq, Hodgins said that there was no replacement for Zack. It was true. Her brilliant grad student was irreplaceable, both at the lab, and in her heart. Now she needed to find someone to just help out around there. Someone whom she was sure would not worm their way into her heart to leave when their time to move on came.

What Brennan didn't realize, was someone else who had wormed their way into her heart, was standing just outside her office door. He noticed how tired she looked and noticed that her couch looked slept on with the blanket tossed at the end and a pillow at the other. She probably hadn't eaten anything all day, he mused.

Special Agent Seely Booth was technically on vacation. Having had to spend two weeks recovering at a safe-house, and tricking his friends into believing he was dead bought him some special down time. He had chosen, with Rebecca's permission, to spend the weekend at the lake with Parker.

His son was one of the few people who had been told the truth. He was told to keep it a secret. Rebecca didn't know she could trust her overly expressive son not to blab to one of his classmates, so she and Parker spent most of the two weeks with her parents in West Virginia.

Booth hadn't paid any attention to the weather report however, and now was extremely bored even with his son's enthusiastic chatter to keep him company. He needed to see is Bones. Having to spend two weeks away from his partner had been pure agony. He had re-assured her that it was entirely his intention that she be notified of the FBI's plan to fake his death. He thought for sure Bones would deck Sweets just as hard has she had planted one on him at his funeral, but she agreed with his rational.

He had been elated that she had jumped to his aid to take down the underground crook that had come to dance on his grave. "Nice Shot!" he remembered saying before stars exploded in his head. He couldn't stop wondering what it would have been like if she had planted a kiss on his jaw rather than her fist. Well, no wishing for what can't happen, right?

Booth was brought out of his reviere by the sound of Bones sighing heavily and saw her closing the file on her computer. _Another person much smarter than him didn't make the cut, _he thought. Booth entered her office while clearing his throat to catch her attention. He didn't want to wake the sleeping, sandy haired boy curled up against his shoulder.

"Booth", whispered Brennan not very softly "what are you doing here? I thought you were going camping with Parker."

"Shhhhh, Bones, can't you see he is sleeping," whispered Booth back much softer than Brennan's.

"Of course, that is why we are whispering."

Booth laid Parker down on the couch and covered him with the discarded blanket on the side. He then led Brennan out of her office with his hand on the small of her back. He shut the door behind him so that they could continue the conversation without disrupting Parker.

"Ya, we were going camping, but then the weather changed and we had to come back. Parker started whining that he was bored and frankly so was I. Being stuck in a tent when the lake is just a few feet way is no way to spend a weekend."

Brennan stood with her back rigid and her arms crossed in front of her. She wasn't paying much attention to Booth. Or, rather, she was trying to anything but look at Booth. Ever since she had barged into his bathroom to confront him on his lack of notifying her about his fake death, she had been unable to look at him as she had before. She already knew he was all man, a warrior and well structured. She just hadn't really pictured him in that capacity before.

"Bones…." said Booth as he waived a hand around her face, "earth to Bones." Booth couldn't help but notice the slight coloring in Brennan's cheeks as she failed miserably at trying to ignore him. "Listen, we picked up some movies and snacks and we were wondering if you would like to join us. Since the rest of the crew have taken some time off, you should too."

Brennan remained staring back into her office and at the little blond head resting on her pillow. She liked Parker and thought he was a very smart child. He was also just as irresistible as his father. Brennan knew that if he wasn't asleep, he would be aiming a child sized "charm" smile at her just as the older Booth was a that very moment.

"Sure, just let me gather my things," said Brennan.

Booth turned and opened her office door for her and silently scooped Parker back up against his shoulder. As he and Brennan left the office and made their way through the Jeffersonian, he once again placed his free hand on the small of her back. Each of the partners sent a silent "thank you" skyward that this was even possible.

End chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, so my day brightened beyond sunshine when I saw the reviews once I got home and was inspired to continue right away. Thanks much!!

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On the ride home, Parker had woken up and began interigating his father about whether or not Bones was comming over to visit. Booth assured him that she was following in her own car. The answer satisfied the youger man, but Booth wasn't so easily won over. He kept looking in his rearview mirror to ensure that she hadn't gotten scared and turned without him noticing.

Brennan followed Booth into the driveway of his house. As she got out, she was quickly met with a small body coliding with hers in a fierce hug around her middle. She quickly recovered and let her arms snake around the small shoulders and sandy colored head.

"Guess what Dr. Bones?", said Parker enthusiastically.

"What Parker?" answered the anthropologiest still trying to understand how this little boy could be so friendly towards her. He had only seen her a handfull of times and helped his dad bring her the Christmas tree, but she had never really spent any conciderable time in his company. She hadn't wanted to intrude on the presious little time Booth got to spend with his only child.

"We boutght Alvin and the Chipmunks! And daddy says that we can eat junk food all night and watch as many movies as we want to. We're gonna have a party!" Parker almost screamed the last part as he grabbed Brennan by the hand and led her past Booth as he held the door open for the two most important people in his world.

Brennan glanced at Booth as she passed him. The charm smile was still in place, but a softness was added to his large brown eyes made her breath catch in her throat. It was just a few days ago that she thought she would never see those eyes looking into hers again. If it wasn't for the incesant tug on her hand pulling her into the house, she might have lost herself in his gaze.

Parker only let go of Brennan's hand once they had entered the living room. He began rummaging through the shopping bags and came out with the aforementioned movie with glee. With practiced ease of a child who can get into anything, Parker had the tightly sealed packing plastic off from the dvd and was already tearing at the security label. Booth grabbed the remaining bags and took them to the kitchen.

As the Booth men began setting up for a night of movies and junk food, Brennan was left to wander the living room. The last time she had been here, she had just ran through, straight up the stairs to confront Booth about not letting her know the details personally. Even after he assured her he would look into exactly why she wasn't contacted, she still could feel the anger in her. The anger didn't receed until after she confronted Sweets about his little experiment on the two partners. She had have a mind to actually tell Booth about it just so that she could see Sweets try to talk his way out of it, or to see how funny he would walk after Booth got done beating him up.

Booth meanwhile, began opening bags of chips, M&Ms and gummy worms into various cartoon character bowls collected from numerous outings with Parker to the local dollar store. He could hear Parker turning on the tv and opening the dvd player to start the movie. He wondered what Bones would say about singing chipmunks. Actually, he thought, I hope she doesn't spoil the fun for Parker.

Booth brought the snacks out and laughed as Parker dug right in. Knowing Rebecca would have a field day about his parenting habbits, it was a great relief to see his son so happy. He had plenty of long days and nights in the safe house to wonder how his son would handle his death if it ever truly happened. He had worried about his Bones too. By this time, Brennan had settled on one end of the couch. Parker sat next to her reaching into each bowl and stuffing his face long before the previews ended.

Booth sat on the other end of the couch silently wishing the movie would put his son to sleep sometime soon. However, after watching movie all the way through along with the extras and singing along with Parker, Booth got up to get the second movie for them to watch called Kung Fu Panda. As the movie started, Parker slinked down to the floor to lay on his belly while facing the tv.

This left the two partners on the couch with nothing baring them from staring at eachother without any intention of watching the movie. Without telepathic ability, neither of them new that the other was thinking of that evening, after gathering at the Jeffersonian, the silent moment they shared on the stairs. Emotions heavy on Brennans heart that once again had been thrown into overdrive while her brain took a back seat. Booth wishing he could just take all her pain away while her head rested on his shoulder. As he mentioned to Sweets, she couldn't be pushed and that was not the night to push her.

Booth shifted his position to lay his legs more across the couch in a lounging position. He held his hand out to Brennan to beckon her over. He wanted to hold her, to let her know yet again, that he would never betray her or leave her if it was ever in his power to do so. He saw her eyes travel to his hand and back to look at him again. He wasn't about to let her lose this and kept his hand reached out until she gave in.

Brennan couldn't decide what she felt. It was irrational to miss Booth as he sat just inches from her. But remembering how warm and alive he was while sitting with her on the stairs and all the not-so-much guy hugs, she missed him, his warmth. His charm smile glowing at a thousand watts did her in, however, and she shifted her own body to match his leaning against the other end of the couch.

Booth brought his arm around her while she rested her head on his chest. He rubbed her arm softly and slowly while she listed to his heart beat. She could remember the feel of his heartbeat beneath her hands and closed her eyes willing herself not to bring that memory back to life. Instead, Brennan opened her eyes and began to watch the movie that had long since started and had Parker enraptured.

Little did the two adults know, Parker hadn't been paying much attention to the movie himself. From his position on the floor, he could see the reflection of the two on the couch on the glass window doors that were on the bottom of the tv stand. He knew for a fact, since his mom told him so, that Dr. Bones and his dad were more than just friends.

Booth didn't have much longer to wait for his son to fall asleep. As the Kung Fu Panda ended, he looked at the young boy sprawled on the floor with his head cradled in the crook of his arm. Booth looked down at Brennan to try to get her attention as he needed to put his son to bed, but was greeted with a soundly sleeping Bones drooling on his chest. He shot a look skyward saying a silent prayer for this moment and to take a deep breath to keep from laughing out loud.

As much as he wished that he could never move, and that moment to never leave, Booth nudged at Brennan to wake her up. "Temperance, need to sit up babe. I need to put Parker to bed."

"mmm, kay," whispered Brennan as she sat up to let Booth rise from the couch. She was still extremely tired and groggy and didn't even register his endearment.

Booth scooped Parker up from the floor and carried him to bed. He changed his son into pajamas left in his bag by his mother and tucked him in. With a kiss to his forehead, Parker sighed happily in sleep as his father left the room.

Booth returned to the living room and began to gather the bowls of snacks to take back to the kitchen. He would worry about the rest of the cleaning up for the morning. He noticed Brennan slowly make her way down the hallway. He figured she would leave for her own home in just a moment, but that would not stop him from trying to convince her to stay. After checking all the downstairs windows and doors, Booth paused at the front door to wait for Bones. Even in sleep, she would have been done by now and ready to leave, but a check on the bathroom door, showed no sign of Brennan. Booth quickly looked out side to see her car still sitting in the driveway as it had been all afternoon and Bones no where to be found.

A stray thought entered Booth's mind and he shook his head at whether or not Bones would be there. He made is own way up the stairs to his room to see the lamp next to his bed on and a neatly folded set of women's clothing on the chair on the other side of the room. Bones had already changed into a t-shirt of Booths and was folding back the blankets of his bed to climb in.

Booth moved silently into the room, still unable to fathome how this event could have occured. He didn't want to push his Bones into bed, but he certainly wasn't about to push her out of it either. He grabbed a pair of pajama pants and changed in the small bathroom in the hall before entering his room again. Brennan was already laying down and covered with the blanket as he climbed in behind her. Booth had to reach over her to shut the light off, as Brennan had already fallen back to sleep. He settled in next to her and felt her shift to mould against him in her sleep. He cradled her small frame with his arm over her and followed her into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, so I'm not so sure about this part. The first two chapters just flowed from the muse, but this one was a little forced. The reviews have been the most inspirational, thanks everyone for the support!

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The morning dawned bright and warm. Booth brought his hands to his face and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He could hear the tv in the living room and the cartoons blaring. Parker always watched cartoons while with his dad since his mother usually had them out to a salon or some such thing bright and early on a saturday. Booth looked to the clock to see it was almost 8 am. He looked the other direction anticipating the visual he would get of his sleeping partner.

The other side of the bed was empty. The shirt she had warn the night before folded neatly on the pillow she had used. Booth laid his head back down on the pillow. He didn't feel overly distressed or worried that she had left early in the morning. He just hoped that she hadn't gotten scared by waking up in his bed.

At the Jeffersonian, Brennan was again looking through the profiles of her grad students for the replacement for her team. Having gotten an excelent nights sleep, she felt she could examine the files with better accuracy and tact. She finished her review and walked down to Cam's office holding 3 files. She would ask Cam about them when she returned on Monday. Since having the time to work with Cam after her and Booth finally split, she had been able to feel less possesive of taking charge in the lab. Besides, with Cam around, Brennan didn't need to deal with the press or the board of trustees. How so many people could misunderstand her while she spoke so clearly and technically, boggled her mind.

Brennan returned to her office and dialed the first saved number on her cell phone. Booth's voicemail answered on the first ring meaning he must have turned it off. He always did take full advantage of vacations, she thought. Without leaving a message, Brennan gathered her purse and coat and satisified that she had accomplished something this weekend, headed to the grocery store. She didn't have enough ingredients for macaroni and cheese and wasn't sure Booth would either.

As Booth and his son finished some breakfast and showers, they were back to watching Alvin and the Chipmunks yet again. Parker would no doubt have movie and the songs memorized by the time he headed back to his mother's. Just as the movie was finishing, the door bell rang. Booth moved to answer the door with Parker just ahead of him. Booth checked to see who had arrived before nodding to his son that it was ok. Since Parker had been put in harms way be Epps, Booth had imposed some new rules to help keep his son safe.

"Hi Dr. Bones," said Parker as he saw who was on the other side.

"Hi Parker," answered Brennan. Her arms were loaded with brown paper bags and her face was lit with a large smile from the greeting she had recieved.

"Hi Bones, whatcha got there," asked Booth as he reached over the threashold to take a bag from her. Booth lead the way into the kitchen as Parker followed interested in the bags, leaving Brennan to close the door behind her with her foot.

"I finished some last minute work at the Jeffersonian and didn't know if you had the ingredients for macaroni and cheese, so I stopped by the store on my way over here." Brennan confided.

"Macaroni and Cheese!! can we have some daddy, please," crooned Parker looking first at his dad, then to Brennan and back again.

"Hungry already are we? I don't see why not. Want some help, Bones?" asked Booth.

"I like Dr. Bone's mac and cheese better than yours daddy," admitted the younger Booth.

Booth chuckled at his son's honesty. Parker had enjoyed the left overs that Brennan had sent over the last time. The sandy haired boy had always scoffed at leftovers before, but gave high praise for the meal when it was over. Booth ruffled his son's hair and asked him to go play outside for a bit while he helped Brennan get the food started. Parker knew he was being dismissed for them to have an adult moment, so he quickly did as he was told. Only so far as to leave the kitchen, but only went as far as the back door so he could still listen in.

"Everything okay, Bones?" asked Booth as he began to unpack the bag he had carried in.

"Yes, I went to the lab this morning and was able to focus to determine 3 great canidates for a replacement. I couldn't focus very well yesterday. Having gotten a good night's sleep helped." stated Brennan in her usual matter-of-fact tone. Her face showed no sign of emberassment or anger at having stayed the night with the Booth men.

"That's good. I just thought... well, when I woke... I'm glad you came back over Bones," said Booth as he stopped what she was doing by placing her hands in his. Brennan stared at their joined hands for a few seconds that seemed to actually be hours before lifting her eyes to meet his.

"It's a vacation Booth. I don't know anywhere else I would want to be besides the lab." The last was almost whispered, but to Booth it rang loud and clear. She wanted to be there, with him, with Parker. He was sure that with her high IQ and extremely good reasoning skills, Brennan could have articulated what he felt at that moment, but the rapid pace of his heart was enough to tell him that heaven and earth had just collided.

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The day was spent with the three figures eating lunch, going to the zoo and watching another movie late into the night. Time seemed to stand still for the unlikely family, but family they were.


End file.
